Charlie Sexton releases first album in 10 years

Charlie Sexton knows all about "Cruel and Gentle Things." After rocketing to stardom as a teenage guitar whiz in the 1980s, he just as quickly fell back to Earth and out of the spotlight.

And when Sexton got what many considered the break of a lifetime, playing guitar for Bob Dylan's band a few years ago, his marriage broke up.

In many ways, "Cruel and Gentle Things" -- his first album in 10 years -- is a lifetime in the making.

Dark, introspective and haunting, Sexton's mark is all over the disc even though there's not a showoff guitar solo to be found.

Not only did Sexton produce, he wrote or co-wrote all 10 tracks, sings lead, and plays a variety of instruments including piano, drums, bass guitar and tambourine.

Clearly, there's a lot of pain being expressed here. A party record it is not. With a cigarette-influenced rasp, Sexton seems to channel all the juke joints, concert halls and empty hotel rooms around the world where he's made his living.

Backed with a strong rhythm section, anchored by Sexton's confident but restrained guitar playing, the album certainly gets its point across in a way that many artists are afraid to express.